This invention relates generally to mole traps and more particularly to a mole trap having an explosive force for actuating an impingement device.
Moles are very robust animals that can survive in rather adverse conditions. Frequently, moles dig tunnels through lawns, golf courses, and carefully-tended gardens in search of their main food source, worms. Moles are extremely efficient diggers that can excavate 12-15 feet of tunnel per hour. Moles use their powerful front paws to claw at dirt and pack it on all sides to create an underground tunnel. Moles push excavated dirt from their tunnels up to the ground surface. The excavated dirt creates piles on the ground surface that can get larger than 2 feet in diameter (although most are 6 to 9 inches in diameter).
Damage resulting from mole tunnels include bare spots created by the piles of excavated dirt as well as the corresponding loss of structural integrity of the soil. Mole tunnels can undermine concrete slabs, driveways, pools, and even shallow foundations. Extensive mole tunnel networks can cause severe damage to a lawn requiring expensive repairs that can include tilling and replanting of an entire lawn.
Existing methods for exterminating moles include mole traps that are placed above the ground and are actuated to thrust sharp objects into the mole tunnel to impale the mole. These existing traps are generally ineffective in that they have low success rates for catching moles even after a mole has actuated the device. Some existing traps rely on spring loaded impingement devices that do not generate adequate force to effectively and quickly penetrate the ground to impale the mole. Also, existing traps rely on impingement devices that penetrate an inadequate section of the mole tunnel so that moles that actuate the trap are able to escape the impingement device.
Among the several objects and features of the present invention may be noted the provision of a mole trap which effectively exterminates a mole; the provision of such a mole trap which penetrates the mole tunnel with sufficient force to impale the mole; the provision of such a mole trap which is triggered to generate an explosive force; the provisions of such of mole trap which can prevent escape of the mole; the provision of such a mole trap which is fast-acting; and the provision of such a mole trap which penetrates a large volume of a mole tunnel.
Generally, the mole trap of the present invention comprises a support adapted for placement on the ground to support the trap in an upright position generally above the ground. An impingement device for capturing the mole is operatively connected to the support for motion relative to the support. A barrel is mounted on the support generally in a vertical position and is adapted for slidably receiving a portion of the impingement device in a retracted position. The barrel defines an explosion chamber for receiving an explosive force and directing the explosive force generally downward. The explosive force is directed against the portion of the impingement device received in the barrel to drive the impingement device downward to an extended position. A trigger mechanism triggers an explosion producing the explosive force.
In another aspect of the present invention, the mole trap of the present invention generally comprises an impingement device including a thrust plate and sharpened pins depending from the thrust plate in the upright position of the trap. The pins are arranged in an array of at least two rows with each row including a multiplicity of pins. The trigger mechanism triggers rapid movement of the impingement device into the ground for impaling the mole on one or more of the pins.